Lyle on Preparing a Glue Block for Woodturning

Lyle Jamieson illustrates the entire glue up process for turning a bowl. He uses a face plate with a glue block and CA glue.

[@imissnepal]

I appreciate the sound effects Lyle 🙌🏽 reminds me of my pops , great info, thank you

[@aristocraft51]

One of the best videos on teaching the design of the glue block! Some others will get you hurt, Mr. Jamieson is spot on!!! Nice job!

[@woodbineshark]

Your videos are great thanks for taking the time to make them and show them to us.

[@glennnord2605]

Thank You for sharing and a lot of very good information .

[@Lyle]

Hi Glenn, Thanks for the feedback. Have you seen I am doing IRDs?? To see schedule and purchase a ticket for my LIVE and interactive demonstration with Lyle, go to my web site to see more detailed information, lylejamieson.com or lylejamieson.com/product-category/live-interactive-remote-demonstrations/ I do a different topic every 3-4 weeks. My web site has a sign up for notifications when I schedule the next one on the bottom of most pages.

[@jasontheveinguy7222]

Excellent tutorial

[@Lyle]

Thanks for the feedback Jason. Have you seen I am doing IRDs?? To see schedule and purchase a ticket for my LIVE and interactive demonstration with Lyle, go to my web site to see more detailed information, lylejamieson.com or lylejamieson.com/product-category/live-interactive-remote-demonstrations/ I do a different topic every 3-4 weeks. My web site has a sign up for notifications when I schedule the next one on the bottom of most pages.

[@Lyle]

All the details of chucking methods are in my Bowl Basics DVD. The glue is brittle and is removed by taking a bench chisel and put the sharp edge right on the glue line and it will break the glue block from the work piece with a blow or two.

[@DanielVilarino]

Hi Lyle! Thank you for the video my friend! I have not used glue blocks too much, keep doing mortises and tenons, but it looks like they are pretty successful, so I might give them a try for my next video. Cheers! Daniel

[@Lyle]

Daniel Vilarino Hi Daniel, Thanks for the feedback. The glue block technique is a much more secure way to do side grain vessels, much stronger then chucks.

[@Lyle]

My Jamieson signature bowl gouge is made in England from M-2 HSS Sheffield steel. The internal flute configuration is the most important thing to get it to do all four cuts the way I use it on my Bowl DVD. Other manufacturers have multiple flutes and you don't know what you will get sometimes til it arrives. You can get them on my web site in the store menu. I also have a spindle gouge made for me.

[@Lyle]

I start with a 2 inch dry block. After I use it up and hit the screws I can start over or add another 3/4 inch thick piece and not have to deal with the screws again. Make sure every glue joint has the concave recess so there is no risk of vibration or glue line failure.

[@Lyle]

(Shortened)Any wood will do but the harder the wood the better. Hard maple is really good. The finer the grain the better, so maple will be better then oak. If you use porous soft wood the glue block will get damaged when you take it off the bowl blank. A good hard glue block will last 20-30 bowls before it will need to be replaced it, on the faceplate. If you want the whole answer write me an email.

[@69Photog]

Thanks Lyle. May have to see if my supplier has any 6/4 maple.

[@Wolfen6]

Great series. Very helpful. One question: How do you separate the work piece from the glue block?

[@Lyle]

You Have it correct, any CA will do but has to be thick. Medium and thin will not work.

[@shawnp8429]

I just got the idea of a foot pedal to control the lathe.all the way backwards tuners it off forward motion controls the speed.

[@Lyle]

+Shawn P Thanks for sharing your idea. I am afraid it would not work for the way I turn. Stance, body position and foot placement are critical. I could not have my foot on a controller.

[@shawnp8429]

+Lyle Jamieson I was thinking a thin foot petal,with optional shoe strap so it would move with you. kind of like a tattoo gun petal.speed up slow down and stop all hands free,I don't know just ideas

[@Lyle]

+Shawn P Yes, I have seen others try to use something like that. If it works for you, great. It is nothing I would want or consider. By body is in constant motion. A foot peddle would be a huge nuisance for me.

[@eross21]

so i have a mini lathe. when i turn a square block and round try to round it down it takes big chunks of wood off. any tips to help? you make it look so easy

[@Lyle]

Hi Eric, It is VERY easy. Please see my Bowl Basics DVD for the rules and techniques I use with the bowl gouge. A good bowl gouge with the right grind is helpful, but the methods are just as important. Please email me and I can help you get there.

[@steveng6269]

I just received my DVD's and have questions on the glue blocks. I only have Thin CA glue and got a small catch and the glue joint broke. I guess, I will be purchasing thick this week end.... Which is preferred grain direction on the glue block? Glue and screw on end or side grain?? I am also considering a trip to Traverse City for a day session with you this summer. We have relatives in Petoskey.

[@Lyle]

Hi Steve, Give me a call, too much for youtube. Wish you a Christmas season blessed with good health and happiness.

Aloha Lyle! Was thinking about this method for boxes but i didn't think the joint would be strong enough to survive the hollowing. I couldn't tell from the video and my hearing is going out, but Is your glue block oriented to via end grain or face grain?

[@Lyle]

Hi Spongeworthy, The glue block is ALWAYS side grain. You can do small things like lidded boxes with both end grain or side grain blanks. Plenty strong. For larger things like bowls it is usually side grain blanks. Use the faceplate for hollow forms. The bigger picture is on my Bowl Basics DVD. KZbin only has small pieces of the puzzle.

Good advice. Living in Hawaii has one drawback, it's that we're about 6-8 years behind turning methods and techniques in the mainland. Everything I know about deep hollowing I learned from your videos. Thanks Lyle and please keep doing what you do..

[@Lyle]

Thanks for the feedback. I am doing live remote demos over the internet. Tell your clubs program chair about it, and I can see you at a demo for your club.

[@gianallele1]

Hey Lyle I know it wouldn’t make sense but what about this technique with non dried wood?

[@Lyle]

Hi Gianallele, The CA gluing technique works with any wood, wet or dry. I have used it with a freshly cut tree dripping with water. Have you seen I do interactive Remote Demonstrations?? I have a new topic about every 3-4 weeks. Another resource is the free Vendors Showcase event. I will use the glue block to turn a Christmas ornament. See my web site for details.

[@gianallele1]

@@Lyle I’ll have to check it out. Thanks. I have been using your hollowing system lately as I just got it and I need to watch more videos as the learning curve needs to be learned but I love the tool. I also got your bowl gouge. I love it though I use the Kodiak sharpening jig and not sure if it will work for sharpening in it. If you are aware of others using the kodiak to sharpen your gouge, any suggestions appreciated!

[@Lyle]

@@gianallele1 OOOH!! The Kodiak system is very hard to set for bowl gouges. If you look at my gouges tip angle and side angle before you sharpen it, you will see the 60 degree tip and the side wings are significantly tilted in. This shape of the grind makes it more forgiving and more friendly. You can keep this shape, it is just very hard to make the adjustments for it to work. I dont know anybody doing that. You might ask on some of the turning forums and see if help is out there. If you want instructions for the Wolverine type jigs I can help with that.

[@gianallele1]

@@Lyle good to know! Thank you! Keeping in the topic of glue blocks, what are your thoughts using glue blocks when coring blanks with coring systems? Thank you!

[@SparkySFD1]

Thanks, Great Video. Do you use a particular CA glue? Or will any "thick" or "gel" ca glue work? Is it OK to glue additional wood to glue block to build it up? It appears in the video that you start out with about an inch thick block, but finished glue block appears to be 2-2.5" thick?

[@jimbeaver27]

Weird, suddenly when you put it on the lathe, the glue block is twice the thickness. And I was wondering how you'd use a glue block many times if the screws went almost all the way through it. I'm guessing you decided to show a thicker glue block so edited it in.

[@Lyle]

Hi Jim, thanks for writing. I prefer maple and I had a piece that was too thin, and it cracked when I put the screws in. The thicker walnut will work but maple is better. So I made a new one and edited out the wasted time. It does not matter how thick the glue block is, well not too thick or it might have vibration problems with large bowls. If you are careful cleaning up the glue each time it will last a long time.

[@crmusicproduction]

great video sir. If I don't have any CA glue, will hot glue work ok?

[@Lyle]

Chris, the process only works with CA. The key point there is the CA is brittle and transfers the power to the wood without vibration. Hot melt glue is rubbery and will cause vibration and failures. Craft stores sell CA and accelerator.

[@crmusicproduction]

Thanks for the advice, good job I bought some today.

[@mikebushman8251]

Mr. Jamieson, can you tell me the brand of lathe tools that you use please. Thank you.

[@69Photog]

Hi Lyle, Just discovered your videos. What kind of wood do you generally use for your glue blocks? I have chunk of poplar that is between 6/4 and 8/4 thick. Will that work? I also have a small piece 6/4 wall nut that might work also. Your thoughts? Charlie

[@Lyle]

Zaftig Buff Hi Charlie, Welcome to my turning family. Dont forget to subscribe so you get emails when I post new videos. Any dry wood will do, but the harder and the tighter the grain the better. Poplar will work but it is on the soft side. I would prefer walnut to poplar. Hard maple is best. 6/4 or 8/4 is OK. I would not use anything thicker that 2 inches.

[@nated1971]

What types of wood do you recommend for glue blocks?

[@tracybeasley440]

What kind of screws are those?

[@bushratbeachbum]

What lathe is that he's/you're using?

[@Lyle]

Hi Bushrat, Thanks for watching and subscribing. The lathe I use now is the Robust American Beauty. It is the best lathe in the world and I am a distributor for Robust. The lathes I used in the KZbin videos are what ever I had at the time of the video recording. Some are borrowed lathes because the video was taken as I traveled teaching. Have you seen I am doing IRDs?? To see schedule and purchase a ticket for LIVE and interactive with Lyle, go to my web site. See more detailed information on my website lylejamieson.com or lylejamieson.com/product-category/live-interactive-remote-demonstrations/ I do a different topic every 3-4 weeks.

[@bushratbeachbum]

@@Lyle i was just asking about the one lathe in the video.

[@Lyle]

@@bushratbeachbum That was a home built lathe made by John Nichols. He is out of business. 44 inch swing with 7 ft bed.

[@bushratbeachbum]

@@Lyle cheers. What was the bed built from? Or is there any videos covering the lathe in any detail?

[@Lyle]

@@bushratbeachbum It was made with very large and thick wall rectangle tubing with the ways welded on it and internal supports or welded up framework from very heavy steel. . It was not a very precision built lathe, It was built for strength not accuracy. I dont know of any plans for it because it was custom built for each customer. One had the floor as a bed another was 20 feet long.

[@corodimask]

Do you use glue blocks and CA glue to hold green, wet bowl blanks?

[@Lyle]

Keith Corodimas The glue block works even better on wet wood. The moisture in the wood helps the curing go faster.

[@corodimask]

Lyle Jamieson Thanks. I have been studying videos and reading about bowl turning for weeks, but the "fear factor" that you wrote about is holding me back. I will be taking a 3d course in March in Bucks Co. PA with David Ellsworth--that should help!

[@Lyle]

Keith Corodimas David is a great teacher. That will jump start your learning curve. A lot of what I teach came from David.

[@corodimask]

I had great success using glue blocks the way that you explained in both videos, but I had a tough time getting the bowl off the block. (I turned concave surfaces on the block and bowl bottom, so the amount of glued surface was limited a 1/4 inch or so on the edge.). Any suggestions about the easiest way to separate the bowl from the block? Thanks so much, Lyle. Keith

[@Lyle]

Keith Corodimas Thanks for the feedback Keith. The glue is brittle so it is easy to get off by just breaking the glue line. Use a chisel and mallet and with the glue line supported very well on the edge of a tree blank standing on end on the floor. The key is to have a solid mass to absorb the strike of the mallet. Tap with the chisel right on the glue line. You will hear a CRACK, not a thunk if you are on the wood. It might take a few blows around different locations on the glue line but it will break off pretty easy.

[@goldas2]

co uzywasz na koncu filmiku w areozlou???

[@Lyle]

Hi Gold, thanks for watching. I am using thick CA glue and accelerator. I spray extra accelerator on the squeezed out glue to help it cure faster. Have you seen I am doing IRDs?? To see schedule and purchase a ticket for my LIVE and interactive demonstration with Lyle, go to my web site to see more detailed information, lylejamieson.com or lylejamieson.com/product-category/live-interactive-remote-demonstrations/ I do a different topic every 3-4 weeks. I will be posting new demos soon.

[@goldas2]

@@Lyle mozesz podac nazwe tego przyspieszacza?-pozdrawiam

[@shawnp8429]

I bought a lathe,screwed small log to the plate.I thought this looked easy until my bowl shot 80ft across my yard.

[@Lyle]

+Shawn P Hi Shawn, Sorry you had such a bad experience on the lathe. Turning is not hard to learn but there a lot of pieces to the puzzle. None of the pieces are difficult to learn but it can be overwhelming at first. Being self taught means a lot of trial and errors. The errors can be frustrating and even hurt you. Get some help. There are AAW clubs near you and people to mentor with. Come take a class from me. Get my Bowl basics DVD for all the foundation elements needed. Turning if great fun, dont give up on it.

[@shawnp8429]

+Lyle Jamieson what is the DVD link

[@Lyle]

+Shawn P My web site has a store and info. www.lylejamieson.com